[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 53 (Thursday, May 5, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 5, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
  REPORT ON FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES FOR FISCAL YEAR 1993--MESSAGE 
                       FROM THE PRESIDENT--PM 108

  The PRESIDING OFFICER laid before the Senate the following message 
from the President of the United States, together with an accompanying 
report; which was referred to the Committee on Governmental Affairs.

To the Congress of the United States:
  As provided by the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (Public 
Law 92-463; 5 U.S.C., App. 2, 6(c)), I am submitting my first Annual 
Report on Federal Advisory Committees for fiscal year 1993 for your 
consideration and action.
  Consistent with my efforts to create a Government that works better 
and costs less, I issued Executive Order No. 12838 on February 10, 
1993, requiring the executive branch to conduct a comprehensive review 
of all advisory committees. Based upon this assessment, each department 
and agency was directed to reduce by at least one-third the number of 
committees not required by the Congress. I am pleased to advise that 
this initiative has resulted in a net reduction of 284 unproductive 
advisory committees, exceeding our elimination target of 267, by 6 
percent, or 17 committees. In addition, we have identified 
approximately 30 unneeded statutory groups.
  While progress has been achieved in assuring that the work of 
advisory committees remains focused on national, rather than special 
interests, I am asking for your support in effecting other needed 
improvements. The Administration will forward to the Congress a 
legislative proposal to terminate 30 advisory committees required by 
statute, but for which compelling needs no longer exist. I urge the 
Congress to act quickly and favorably on this proposal, and I welcome 
any recommendations of the Congress regarding additional groups that 
may be eliminated through our joint efforts to increase the 
effectiveness and efficiency of the Government. Toward this end, I hope 
the Congress will show increased restraint in the creation of new 
statutory committees.
  I have directed the executive branch to exercise continued restraint 
in the creation and management of advisory committees. This will allow 
us to obtain further savings recommended by the Vice President and the 
National Performance Review. Consistent with Executive Order No. 12838, 
the Director of the Office of Management and Budget will continue to 
approve new agency-sponsored committees when necessary and appropriate. 
In addition the General Services Administration, as part of its overall 
responsibilities under the Act, will periodically prepare legislation 
to propose the elimination of committees no longer required by the 
Government.
  We stand ready to work with the Congress to assure the appropriate 
use of advisory committees and to achieve the purposes for which this 
law was enacted.
                                                  William J. Clinton.  
  The White House, May 5, 1994.

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